Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-24
THE WHITE HORSE.
How He Was Given a Party Way
Hack i'm the FOrties.

Back i'm the FOrties.
Everybody has heard of the white
horse whose presence is supposed un
failingly to indicate the proximity o.
maiden of auburn-tinted hair, but
how many Chicagoans remember the
"White Horse of the Prairies." Along
in the "40s," when Chicago was only
an overgrown village, the land on
which the county buildings now
stand was occupied at the cor
ner of Clark and Randolph by
the first Court House, while the
little log jail and the Sheriff E
frame house in front faced LaSalle.
Elsewhere the ground was bare, with
occasional spots of thin green grass,
which marked oases upon the sand.
In this public square pasture a white
horse of uncertain age was wont to
Craze at such intervals when it WASH t
demurely walking through the streets
and alleys, with a rhythmic pause at
every step, caused by the bending of
broken leg. There was great scan
dal among the gossips. 1t was whis-
pered about the village that the horse
had belonged to dentist, DR.. Kenni-
colt, on old man, good-natured and
well-liked, hut who seemed to
lack gratitude in his composition.
The horse had broken its leg, was
generally out of sorts, and the doctor
had turned it out to die. But it had
horse-sense enough to know that its
time hadn't come, and so it ambled
around the embryotic city. 1t was a
well-bred steed-so the circus people
from whom the doctor had bought it
said-and the fact is it did show MI
merous fine points through its un-
combed hair. During the dismal
DAYS of the fall the old horse would
stand and shiver under the shadow OF
the temple of justice, and its mute
and piteOus appeals brought many a
bundle of hay from Jailer Beach.
Across from the Court House the
Sherman House stood, and its bar
room had a sweeping view of the
square. Often the old white horse
had been discussed there, and the
comments made on its late master
were far from favorable. One morn
ing John Benjamin, the proprietor,
William Henry Bushell, now of the
Treasury Department, Mathew Har-
pei and others, were discussing the
towns news. A poor congregation
the night before had given its poorer
pastor donation party" in lieu OF his
hard-earned and long over due salary.
"Why in - don't they get up a
donation party for the white horse ?
profanelv asked one of the party. 1t
was popular idea, and forwith day
was appointed for the grand occasion.
Bills were printed announcing the
event, and line of march for tho
procession was chosen. But the bony
creature was not yet prepared for the
banquet. An undertaken named Bates
took him in charge, built temporary
shed for him on La Sale street, oppo-
site the present location of the court
house and fed him something that put
meat on his ribs. On the appointed
day business was suspended-the
houses were closl d and everybody
turned out on the line OF march.
The horse was thoroughly cleaned up,
its game leg was bandaged 80 that its
stride was more regular, and its name
and tail were prettily plated. The
procession appeared on Clark street,
headed by the old horse,
gorgeously arrayed, in circus
fashion, with glittering spangles.
On his back stood Tim Bradley,
afterward Sheriff of Cook county.
He held pole in his hand, and to it
was attached liberty cap, into which
the people dropped coins. Then came
a stage coach filed with negro min
strels, who were followed by long
string of men with their donations.
Bags of oats and bundles of hay, corn
on the cob and shelled, halters, curry
eombs--in fact everything that we'll
regulated family horse in its domestic
way might vearn for. There was lum-
ber for the barn and nails with which
to put it together. Altogether the
donation" party was an immense
success. A comfortable barn was built
and the horse was we'll taken care of.
The offcast White Horse of the Prai-
ries was familiar sight about the
town for many years thereafter, driven
in family carriage, gentle, and with
out being plebian, didn't put on any
airs on account of the distinguished
honors accorded it.-(Chicago Herald.